My Body Is Me

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Americans are constantly being told what a healthy body should look like, and that these healthy bodies are deserving of love and praise, while overweight or otherwise not ideal bodies (especially female ones) are objects of laughter and contempt. For a long time (and even occasionally still), I viewed my own body along those lines, and would diet because I felt shunned or uncomfortable with the fat invading my body. I felt like I was wearing some kind of fat suit over myself, and that the real me was hidden somewhere inside. Then I would go on crazy diets in a desperate attempt to rid myself of these enemy parts.

But why these parts of my bodies enemies? Why do I need to punish them? Why do I "hate my tummy"? We constantly talk about our "problem areas," dissecting ourselves into sections and claiming that one section is a bad apple. It just doesn't make sense. If losing weight is about getting healthy, we need to start by having a healthy, wholeistic relationship with our ourselves (aka our Bodies).

My biggest weight loss obstacle has been doing just that, and learning how to love my body even though I'm not at my goal weight. This means ending the 'war on fat' and reframing my health-seeking goal as a fun adventure with myself. After all, I'm not wearing a fat suit. My entire body is part of who I am, even my tummy and inner thighs.

It's important to remember that losing weight is about becoming more healthy, and the best way for me to do that was to stop thinking about my body in parts (problem tummy, nice legs, etc.) and start thinking of it as me. It's all me. And I'm pretty friggen awesome.